Posts Tagged 'NYC'

While I don’t regularly use any Kiehl’s products myself, I have always admired the company’s history, ethos and customer service. I love the simple yet still visually appealing packaging, and when I have visited stores, found their customer service to be fantastic. A thorough explanation of a product and a few sachets to test with have always been the norm for any store I have visited – something I really appreciate in good customer service.

It’s suffice to say I had high hopes for my visit to the Kiehl’s flagship store on 3rd Avenue in the East Village of Manhattan. It was the original Kiehl’s store and pays homage to the history of a apothecary store turned beauty mega-brand that’s been tending to ailments of all kinds since 1851.

The smaller store front.

The store, on historical ‘Pear Tree Corner’ has two entrances; one is a more modern and grand entrance, the other, a smaller ‘original’ entrance to the store, complete with vintage bottles of potions and lotions stacked in wooden boxed shelves. It was fascinating to read the labels!

Upon entering the doorway, you are greeted with a mini Kiehl’s ‘museum’ – a time-line that shares the incredible Kiehl’s story; complete with original artifacts of the time, new products launches and historical events. You really get a sense for Kiehl’s ingrained place in New York City history and community. The company even survived the stock market crash of 1929 – now that’s love!

The store itself is everything a beauty-nut like myself could dream of; products stacked high to the ceiling, vases filled with lip balms, white lab-coated assistants floating around with exactly the right amount of presence. The grand chandeliers hanging from the ceiling help give a great glowing light that really accentuates the wooden surroundings and adds to a definite homely vibe thanks to a wall of ‘Kiehl’s babies’ baby photos and other knick-knacks placed around the store.

The beautiful interior

After all the browsing and sampling, I was good to go. The waves in my hair had been refreshed, my arms and shoulders SPF-ed, and my neck and hands on the way to being wrinkle free. It really was product overload. So much to absorb, both visually and physically through the skin!

Luckily there was also a cafe bar in the store, with coffee, fresh milk and cookies to quell any pangs of thirst or hunger worked up while shopping.

Every product you could dream of AND an ice cream sandwich? I’m in heaven!

Have you been to the Kiehl’s flagship?
What did you think?
Would you put this on your NYC things to see list?

It’s my first official day in New York City, and wow – it’s amazing! So much to look at, shop for and chow down on that I had to come back to the apartment by early afternoon and rest my weary feet. While Erin and I traipsed along the streets, we kept our eyes open for any cheap eats or salons. We figure the more areas we can get away with skimping on, the better. Better being more shopping dollars of course. And cupcakes.

One thing I couldn’t help but notice was the huge number of nail salons, most of which offer Mani-Pedi specials for $20. Yep, $20! (not including tip however – something I need to get used to fast).

So once semi-recovered from my sensory overload, Erin and I set out to find a cheap manicure, local to our Gramercy area. On the same block as the apartment we found City Nails, who do a manicure for $8 dollars. Cheap as (salt and vinegar) chips. I was excited at the prospect of a cheap fix for my scraggy post-flight nails, albeit very wary of dodgy (read: possibly unhygienic) practices of said cheap salon.

But I/my stingy side of the brain pushed these thoughts aside. Come on man, you’re in NYC! Live a little! A dirty clipper is nothing when you’re walking the streets of this gritty city! So I went ahead and sat down.

And it kinda went downhill from there. I’m fairly positive the tools hadn’t been washed with anything stronger than a little tap water, and when the first coat of the polish went on, it looked like it was barely there, except for the odd clumps. Hrmm, I smell a varnish thinning rat! At least she gave me three coats to bring it to a solid colour, (except in some parts – it wasn’t even.) After sitting down at the nail drying bar, my manicurist walked over and proceeded to massage (or jab..) my shoulders. ‘Oooo, maybe this is the redeeming quality…’ I thought. But before I had even finished my sentence or begun to settle in to this rub, it was over. Literally just on four seconds. What’s the point?!

You get what you pay for I suppose!

It seems greener than the Chanel Nouvelle Vague shade, which is most certainly on the blue side of the spectrum.

I’m thinking this is somewhere between the Nouvelle Vague and the other unnamed Chanel polish that Primped wrote about – I think Essie’s Mint Candy Apple polish would just about match the newest Chanel on offer (without having seen that in real life).

This is a pretty out-there and bright shade for me, and while that was the point of the experiment, to you know, embrace the NYC sunshine and all things summery and bright, I think I would prefer the Essie Mint Candy Apple next time – it’s just a level or two more toned down and suits my love of neutrals and pastels more.

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